Government and Insurance

Government Careers

Preparing for a career in either the federal government or state and local governments typically requires a master's or doctoral degree to be be qualified for most statistical based jobs in the government. However, there are some positions that are available for students who have obtained a bachelor's degree. Some of the skills that students focused on entering a government related field should develop include a strong background in computers, writing, and presentation skills. It is advised to seek out internships within a government organization and to assist in research projects to gain the needed experience collecting and analyzing data. While learning about the government hiring processes you will want to plan on applying early and research any special hiring authorizations that may expedite the hiring processes.

Typical work found in Government related jobs:

Government Employers:

Survey Design and Methodology

Conduct Field Work/Experiments

Collect, Process, and Analyze Data

Interpret Data and Experiment Results

Clinical Trial Analysis

Reliability and Quality Control

Operations Research

Census

Education

Ecology and Environment

Forestry

Government Regulation

Law

National Defense

Public Health

Population

Risk Assessement

Bureau of Economic Analysis

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Census Bureau

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Defense

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Justice

Environmental Protection Agency Food and Drug Administration

National Institutes of Health

National Science Foundation

National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Security Agency

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

State and local government

Insurance Careers

Students pursuing a career in the insurance industry will want to not only take additional mathematics and finance courses, but complete an internship with an insurance agency to gain the relevant experience needed. There are many entry-level positions within the areas of claims, underwriting, and risk management that students with a bachelor's degree would be qualified for. In addition to learning statistical analysis software and a variety of programming languages, students will want to develop strong communication skills. A majority of careers within the insurance industry require teamwork and the ability to clearly explain information. Students will want to plan on taking a series of actuarial exams to gain the proper licensing from either the Society of Actuaries or the Casualty Actuarial Society. Depending on the type of insurance you primarily deal with will determine the path you pursue. Most actuaries will take these exams over the course of several years while maintaining full-time employment.